Off To Wonderland

Dancers

The dancers were magnificent. Swaying their hips in perfect rhythm to the music; long black hair flowing down their back; loose clothing that swayed showing their fit and sculpted legs. Jewelry, of gold, silver, and gems of all kinds decorated their arms, legs, belly, and head. Some had bells on their fingers that the tapped together making a soft tinning sound. The colors of their clothes were all different kinds of greens; sewed green, forest green, and blue green. The light off the lanterns made the colors shimmer and shine. Amber was mesmerized by the way they danced. She couldn’t take her eyes off of them.

One of the dances, maybe only 20, locked eyes with Amber. She had dark eyes just like Emma’s and she held Ambers gaze with awe and curiosity. She stopped dancing and walked over to where Amber and Emma’s family were sitting in the crowd.

“You. Foreigner,” she called. Her voice was thick, and warm. Amber thought that if her voice was a flavor, it would have been dark chocolate. The woman was now right in front of Amber, never looking away, or dropping her gaze. “Do you wish to learn how to dance?” She asked her face held no expression.

“Well, urr…” Amber stuttered under the gaze of her, trying to find words.

“Yes or no,” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Amber said sheepishly.

“Can you sing?” she asked.

“Umm no.. Yes… I’m not sure. The woman looked her over, and then smiled extending her hand.

“Come with me.” Amber looked to the family she came with they all looked at her and smiled, nodding that she should go. Amber smiled back and left with the woman. They walked away from the dancers and the crowd, heading into a small tent. “First you must get dressed,” she said, pulling out silky and dray green clothes. Amber stood awkwardly, watching her. “This,” she finally said pulling out a beautiful blue green outfit, speckled with small dots of a darker green. She held it out for Amber to hold. “It will match your eyes beautifully,” she said. “Now hurry and put it on.”

“What will I do with my clothes?” Amber asked. The woman tossed her a bag, and smiled; she shooed her hands at Amber to hurry. In less than a few minutes the outfit was on. It was a two piece, with a sea green bra, strapless and showed off her flat stomach, the bottoms had two pieces of material flowing down like a water fall in-between her toned white legs that were exposed; a light blue green rope around her waist held the fabric on. Amber still had the green hood on over her red hair. The woman pulled it off of her and stepped back. Her eyes looked over her with awe and wonder. Amber felt extremely embarrassed by the intense gaze the woman had. The woman’s awed face turned to a frown when she saw how messy it was.

“We must fix your hair.”

“You don’t say…” muttered Amber, as the woman disappeared behind a curtain only to return in seconds, a comb in her hand. After she had brushed out all the knots, and styled it so Ambers red hair fell in tight ringlets around her head, the way she had always wanted her hair too look. The woman smiled; by now it must have been around 11 or midnight, and the woman pressed a small green emerald right in the middle of her forehead.

“Done,” breathed the woman, taking a step back. “Come,” she smiled, “now we dance” she laughed with glee spinning in a circle. Amber stayed still. The woman stopped smiling. “What is wrong?” Amber shifted from foot to foot.

“I can’t dance…” the woman’s smile returned, and she placed Ambers hood back on her head, covering her red hair, but her sea green eyes still shown out brightly; the woman blue gold dust in her face. Amber breathed it in, and it smelled like melted butter and brown sugar.

“Now all you need to do is close your eyes, and your body will do the rest,” she said taking Amber by the arm, and leading her out. The crowd seemed to have grown and the dancers still twirled and swayed with the vibrant music. Amber felt nervous, but was thankful that woman had allowed her to wear the hood, she felt comfort in being somewhat hidden. They walked right into the middle of the dances, and the woman walked up behind, placing her hands on her waist gently. “Close your eyes,” Amber did. The music filled her ears and made her fingers and toes tingle; her legs itched to try and dance. The woman put pressure on her hips, passing her waist back and forth in-between her hands making Amber sway left and right. “Now,” she whispered in Ambers ear, “dance,” and her hands let go. The music poured into her chest and her heart races. She moved her arms and legs swaying and twirling with the music. Like the woman had said, she let her body take over.

The feeling was incredible. She twirled, threw her head back, and leaped into the air. She was so engrossed into the dance that she didn’t notice that the crowds stopped cheering. All she heard was the music, and all she thought about was how her body swayed. Then the music stopped all together, and she still didn’t notice. The music was in her head, her heart, her soul; she breathed it, the music was her and she was the music. Finally her senses came back faint and she heard the dead silence. She opened her eyes and saw everyone gaping at her. The crowd, the dancers and the musicians all gazed at her open mouthed and in awe. She stopped dancing and her eyes grew wide with fright. Tears started to well in her eyes.

Why? She asked herself, why is everyone looking at me like that. She turned to run away but the woman who had dressed her up lightly grabbed her arm and smiled at her. She leaned close to her ear.

“Don’t run away,” she whispered her voice thick and sweet, “they love you.” Amber stood frozen. “Dance for them,” she said kissing Amber’s ear, “dance for them.” Amber turned back to the crowed, the seemed to be watching to see what she would do. Tears of fright started to spill over her eyes as Amber’s body shook. Suddenly a little girl pushed through the crowd, her dark eyes caught, Ambers. Emma came running hard and fast, she smashed into Amber full force, knocking her to the ground. Amber looked at the child wrapped around her waist, and saw tears in her eyes.

“Amber you were so pretty,” she cried loudly. Suddenly the entire crowd roared with cheer. They threw flower petals at her as she sat on the ground, Emma still attached to her waist. “Dance!” shouted Emma, as she stood pulling Amber up with her. “Dance!” The music started playing and again Amber closer her eyes, and began to dance, the crowd hushed again. She heard a fountain behind her and stepped up on to its rim, balancing she danced, the water falling behind her. After a few a while her legs began to ache and she slowed turning to face the crowed; she gave a delicate and low curtsies signaling that her dance was over. The crowed hooped and hollered again and again. She walked over to the woman who was smiling at her.

“Thank you for your magic” she said, the woman laughed lightly.

“That was just some glitter for decoration,” she said with a wink, before turning to leave with the other dances.

A booming and strong laugh echoed through the square. And the prices and his bride walked forward. He was laughing, such a deep and warm laugh, that it made Amber’s heart race. Everyone around her dropped to their knees, and she did the same; her green hood hiding her face in a shadow.